warmth
by ectocosme
Summary: The heater broke into the barracks so Cloud sneak up the SOLDIERs' floor and crash on Zack's couch. Except there's Sephiroth. (more cuteness than anything romantic)


just a silly thing. could be seen as a pre-relationship (or implied Zack/Cloud xD)

tell me what you think of it

* * *

 **OS:** **warmth**

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Sephiroth sighed loudly as he sank in the couch then spread out the best he could. He crossed his hands on his stomach and sighed. Zack hummed from the ground, but didn't drop his controller. Sephiroth looked blankly at the screen where Zack's character was beating up something looking like a terrifying chocobo with too much teeth and way too tall to be one. He sighed again.

He was just feeling blue and there wasn't really a remedy for that. Oftentime Zack let him sigh all he wanted on his couch then eat junk food with him and kept him company. It worked most of the time.

Zack's PHS pinged so Sephiroth took it to distract himself a second.

"You have an update on a certain 'third herd' coming home without casualty," Sephiroth said. "Since when do you have updates about infantry squads?"

"Only this one," Zack said absentmindedly. "It's Cloud's. So he's back. Good." On the screen the character took a fatal hit then died dramatically. The not-chocobo started a dance, it's tiny arms flapping aimlessly. "Argh! Shit! I was close!"

The dark haired let his head fall back on Sephiroth's stomach and whined. The General curled on him, wrapping an arm around Zack neck.

"You know, if you just want a dose of cuddles you can ask rather than sigh for hours waiting for me to catch up."

"I don't want cuddles," Sephiroth huffed. "And I never had to wait too long."

Zack chuckled then squeezed Sephiroth middle. It was an awkward position, but they stayed a bit like that before Zack rose and patted the silver head.

"Let me put something to heat first. I'm starving." Sephiroth sighed only making Zack grin. "I'll come back, don't worry."

Sephiroth exhaled and rolled over so he was flat on his back again. Zack disappeared in the kitchen, letting the General alone with the weather forecast on TV barely covering his sighs. Zack's PHS received others messages but Sephiroth hadn't the strength to look it up. He stayed immobile, his eyes on the ceiling.

The sound of a card beeping caught Sephiroth's attention. It was Zack's door; tough Sephiroth hadn't been informed Zack planned something else tonight, the dark-haired didn't say a word. Sephiroth hoped whatever the person wanted would be dealt in minutes. Although it could be Reno. Nobody tried to enter here without being invited by Zack, which wasn't hard to start for. Or having a key card like the newcomer. Except a Turk. In this case it could only be Reno because he loved entering people's places just to scare them.

With a bit of luck Reno would have a heartattack seeing both Zack and Sephiroth in.

Sephiroth heard the man move around. Zack moved too. The newcomer crossed the corridor, took something in a drawer then headed for the living room as Zack saluted him with a ' _hey, buddy, what's up?'_ which wasn't returned but a mumble reached Sephiroth who translated it to ' _cold, sleepy_ ' and gibberish _._ Sephiroth was at least relived to know the unknown person was Zack's friend and not Reno, but he was curious too and even thought about moving to meet Zack's friend.

The door opening wide stopped Sephiroth from moving. A blond head appeared. The young man in infantry pants was snuggled in a blanket to the point his face was almost indiscernible yet Sephiroth could see his droopy eyes and the blank expression he wore. He dragged his feet on the ground and aimed for the couch. Zack was two feet behind the blond, looking at him with his eyebrows raised in curiosity. None of the SOLDIERs said a word as the blond stumbled in the room with his eyes almost shut.

He wrapped himself more tightly in the blanket then knocked his knees on the couch. He landed on Sephiroth's abdomen, nearly knocking the air out of him. A surprised grunt left the SOLDIER mouth as he absorbed the impact. Sephiroth lifted his hands to defend himself but froze as the boy slipped a bit higher so he could put his head on Sephiroth's torso, sighing deeply. The blond wasn't attacking him, but Sephiroth didn't understand what he was doing either. The blond groaned then yawned in Sephiroth's neck.

"Hi, Zack," he mumbled. His words were slurred, and the rest of his body limp on Sephiroth.

The General meet Zack's eyes which sparkled with amusement. Sephiroth asked a silent question to the dark-haired on how he should react, but Zack was fighting a laugh and being generally not helpful. Sephiroth liked his lips and cleared his throat.

"I'm not Zack."

Looking anew at Zack, Sephiroth saw him mouth 'Cloud, my buddy' between fits of silent laughter. Cloud who patted Sephiroth's pectoral and said, " _Shhh._ 's okay. Whoever you are doesn't matter anymore. You're warm and comfy, you're my heater now."

Zack snorted loudly but Cloud didn't move an inch. He enjoyed the situation a lot. At least his PHS was next to Sephiroth, if Zack made a move to grab it and take a photo then Sephiroth could stop him.

Sephiroth returned his attention to the blond. He could throw him without problem, the boy was featherweight without forgetting that Sephiroth was a SOLDIER with all the extra strength allowed. Yet the silver-haired male couldn't decide if he wanted to keep the warm human blanket or back off from physical contact with an unknown person.

Before he could decide two others SOLDIERs turned up breathing loudly and limping for one. They paused at the door of the living room, seeming dumbstruck.

"Sir! Sorry! We didn't know the boy is your- er," Luxiere said while waving his arms aimlessly and pointing the blond trooper.

Sephiroth paused a second as he tried to undersdand, but finally asked, "My what?"

"Er, uh, friend?" Luxiere said hesitantly just as his comrade said, "Boyfriend?"

They glanced at each others as Zack leaned on a piece of furniture to support himself as silent laughter shook him. He even started crying because of his hilarity.

"Boyfriend!"

"Friend!"

Zack was silently dying in a corner, unable to breathe in his fit of laughter. Sephiroth was lost.

"You are mistaken, I just meet him," Sephiroth glanced at the blond. "Meet is an exaggeration. He landed on me."

The duo of SOLDIERs paused, exchanged another glance giving their incomprehension away.

Sephiroth sighed, "Zack, can you help?"

"Sure," he wheezed out. He whipped some tears away. "Yeah, sure. Give me a sec'."

Zack breathed deeply to calm himself, in a few seconds he became the reliable First knew on missions.

"Report, SOLDIERs."

The boys straightened up fast, glanced at each other to decide who would speak then Luxiere started, "We were coming back from a walk out and the boy climbed onto the lift before we could stop him. We asked if he had an authorisation to go in the SOLDIERs' quarters floor but didn't answer our query. Just before the lift opened to the floor, Abe grabbed him. To attire his attention and keep him in place in case we needed further interrogation. The boy kicked him in the knee, effectively dislodging the kneecap. The time I came out from my stupor, assured myself Abe was alright the infantry had exited the lift. I tried to stop him but he managed to knock me backward onto the closing lift. We had to wait for the doors to open a bit again, because y'know, Lazard had been a bit frantic with ours last destruction and er- the infantryman had crossed the hall and was entering Lieutenant General Zack Fair's apartment. The rest-... you know."

Abe offered a sheepish smile as he stood on only one leg, his other foot not touching the ground. Sephiroth sighed and observed Zack's reaction. He was smiling ear to ear.

"Knocked by an infantryman, uh?"

"An half sleeping human who isn't in the SOLDDIERs cadets. This is quite pathetic," Sephiroth added.

"Ah, c'mon. Don't be harsh, Seph. I trained Cloud. He's good when he isn't blocked by his brain. Cloud half asleep is the best Cloud in battle." At Sephiroth disbelieving glance, Zack added. "I swear to all the Gods! He has good instincts and learns fast but he kept overthinking and fumbling on his own feet!"

Abe cleared his throat, "Well, sirs, if the misunderstanding is settled we'll be going."

"Do that," Zack said, waving dismissively at them. "Bye bye."

When they were out Sephiroth glanced at Zack then Cloud, dead to the world and sleeping on him, "What do I do with him?"

Zack shrugged, "I can put him in my bed if you don't feel comfortable. Or he can keep you warm till I finish cooking."

Sephiroth looked at the mass of blond hair tickling his chin. He could have moved the blond a lot sooner, but having someone napping on him was calming. Zack never napped, except after a long mission but it was most a crash on the nearest piece of furniture. Even there Zack had a tendency talk in his sleep. Also Zack always moved, even during cuddles, not that it was bad, but Cloud hold on him was good too, almost calming.

Cloud's back moved in time with his breath which tickled Sephiroth collarbone, one arm had sneaked around Sephiroth's torso and the other was still on his pectoral. Sephiroth didn't want cuddles, but it was always enjoyable when he was so starved of touches. Apparently he was needing it so bad being cuddled by an infantryman he didn't know – who was taking him for Zack – was a good option.

As he said: it was calming. He even started feeling sleepy with the warm body on him and Cloud's slow heartbeat echoing in him.

Zack chuckled to himself and, giving him a smile that showed he knew what Sephiroth had been thinking, said, "Right, enjoy your cuddling Cloud. It's rare he's so sweet. I'll be back soon."

Sephiroth huffed, his movement rattling Cloud who tightened up his hold and huffed too. The silver haired man sighed with a very slow and very long exhale. This time Cloud didn't move an inch, dead to the world. Curious, Sephiroth poked the cheek not pressed on him. Cloud's skin was soft but cold, which explained his first move: acquire the fluffy blanket Zack kept for bad days when he needed comfort.

The slow rise and fall of Cloud's chest tricked Sephiroth's brain into relaxing head to toes. Before he realised it, he was asleep.

.

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End file.
